Down this road
by NothingToulouse
Summary: Unnatural deaths will bring shady characters on the scene. Especially if it's the death of a certain Europol detective. - Rusty and Danny centric.
1. Prologue

A/N: I have been working on this idea for quite a while and I hope it'll turn out alright. Yes, I am aware that I should be updating "Seen and Unforeseen". I'm not. _Yet._ I'm sorry, I truly, truly am.

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Rated T for occasional profanity, violence and, well, character death. Ye be warned.

* * *

**Prologue**

-

Men in dark suits had never intimidated her. It wasn't going to change now.

She fixed her eyes on the collar, on the tie, on the black shoes, not once looking at the gun.

"You will not get away with this," she said, her voice sounding loud and clear in the chilly air, but leaving no trace on the dark parking deck. "You can't escape. They will find you."

"Just like you did?" A laugh. "They won't even know we're involved."

Her eyes locked on the cuff links, her feet took three steps backwards.

"It will all be very clear. We're on top of a seven-storey car park. What do you think they'll assume?"

She knew he had seen her blinking.

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

She understood and her eyes drifted to the gun. All these years, all these times, it had always worked out. Don't focus on the threat, focus on the escape. The threat was only one step behind her, the escape was guarded by men in dark suits.

The ground was frozen and the gun moved closer, her feet slipped and the world shook, crumbled above her and she swore she had never wanted this life.

Visions of bodies moving in a red room, spotlight hitting the lashes and brightness filling her, surrounding her.

And then there was nothing.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

.

Linus was sure he hadn't done anything wrong. The thing in Boston had turned out quite well after all - and it wasn't as if the Underbergh job would have worked without him. Therefore, the grave voice his father had used on the phone and the stern gaze that met his own, confused eyes didn't make any sense. Because if something had happened (and Linus swallowed and searched for a trace of anguish on his father's face and he didn't want to imagine), surely they would have called _him_, too.

"Dad?"

"Have a seat, Linus."

He sat down and his lips moved before he could think. "I swear, I didn't do anything. Actually, Joe was in Boston and said…"

"This isn't about you." His father looked at him and Linus could read discomfort and sorrow. "Your mother called from the Netherlands."

Linus thoughts collided. "But she's fine, right? I just talked to her last Sunday and…"

"There has been an… incident." Robert Caldwell sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. "In Berlin. Europol."

He fell silent and studied Linus's face as if he was trying to tell him something without having to say it. Linus frowned and waited, then cleared his throat.

"Did something leak out about the Faber…"

Even before he could finish, Bobby's voice cut through the questions and doubts.

"An agent was found dead in front of a car park. A detective."

Linus stared at him and his father nodded. He felt numbness spread though his legs and shoulders. Words fell out of his mouth. "But," Linus said and then he just stopped there because he couldn't think and he looked away and couldn't see anything. He forced himself to open his mouth and speak.

"Does he…? I mean, I think they weren't… something came between… But does he know?"

His father's eyes said No, but they also said something else and Linus exhaled sharply.

"I can't. I can't tell… Dad, how am I supposed to do that?!" He noticed the edge in his voice and that it had slipped an octave higher and he stared at his father. "Shall I just call him and be like, 'Hey man, sorry to interrupt, but…' I can't even… say it."

"Call Danny."

Linus closed his eyes. "Right. Danny."

* * *

He had never been too fond of apple pie and just because Tess had made some didn't mean that would change. Nonetheless, he smiled and applauded her and ate his piece. Then the phone rang and Tess stood up to get it which gave him enough time to pick out all the raisins and hide them in his napkin. When she reappeared, the expression on her face didn't promise good news. She handed the handset to him and mouthed "Linus" before sitting down next to him.

Raising his eyebrows, he took the phone. "Hello?"

Linus was talking fast and all Danny could understand was "sorry", "not sure" and "help". It was enough to alarm him.

"What happened?"

.

Tess watched her husband closely as he was quietly talking to Linus. His face became darker with every question he asked and his eyes lost life with every answer he received. She put her hand on his arm but he just shook his head. His lips were thin and his voice controlled.

"Just the dead body?"

Slowly, he got up and went to the window, eyes staring into the lifeless garden.

"Of course. Thank you, Linus. I'll just… Yeah. Bye."

He turned around and Tess put down the teacup she had been holding on to, just to do something.

"I have to go to California."

She knew what that meant and didn't ask, but she felt her heart sinking. Danny's eyes travelled over the table, then he looked her in the eye. "Linus… His mother, she is…" He paused and Tess's breath became shallow. Surely, she wouldn't be…? "The Hague. Europol. And she called." Tess started to relax, then she saw the look on Danny's face. "Isabel was found dead in Berlin."

* * *

.

And so it begins. I don't know how frequently I'll update but I'm on fire. :)


	3. Chapter Two

Surprise, surprise. I can't believe I've finally found time to write! To read! To update! To review! Yes, kids, school's over (as in: forever until uni) and I've graduated. InSilva THANK YOU for your kind e-mail! Yes, it went very, very well and I can't wait to finally re-join the elect circle of Ocean's Madness! GOD HOW I'VE MISSED Y'ALL! otherhawk, InSilva: I can't express how sorry I am and DAMN I've been waiting for this moment for such a long time :)

So. Here we go. I'm sorry that this chapter isn't longer, but I really, really wanted to publish it (or: something) as soon as possible. And it's not as cheery as this "Author's Note" either I'm afraid.

...

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Chapter Two

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"If a guest asks for pomegranate syrup then we'll get pomegranate syrup. If a guest wants Greek halvas, we'll make it. If life hands you lemons, smile and create a five-star dessert. Thank you."

The kitchen door opened and Danny stared at him.

Danny.

Three months. One week. Two days.

They had been sitting in a small café somewhere in Chicago after a small job, drinking Whiskey sour and Rusty could still hear Danny's words about future and Tess and decisions, Connecticut and California, and he could still hear Danny's voice that was trying to convince himself, and he could hear his own small laugh, saying that it was alright. That everything was good.

And it shouldn't be hurting anymore, so he turned around and threw a smile in Danny's direction.

"Hi."

.

They left through the lobby and Danny didn't say a word. In the elevator, he didn't look at their reflections in the mirrors. On the corridor, he didn't walk next to him but right behind him. As soon as they had entered his office, Danny spoke and it was nothing more than a whisper. "Sit down."

Rusty remained where he was, feet firmly on the ground, hands in his pockets.

Danny felt the words rise in his throat and he looked up, because he couldn't do this without letting Rusty see and understand. "Isabel." His eyes told the rest and he felt a stab through his heart, because they shouldn't be standing here and this should never have happened. And Rusty just stared at him and didn't react.

"I'm sorry."

The words felt oddly wrong and he remembered the last time, months ago in Chicago, and how Rusty hadn't reacted then. The bitter sensation of reality hit him, and it was all wrong. Danny took a step forward, but Rusty turned away, face blank and body quiet and still.

Minutes passed until Danny dared to move. "Rus…"

"Don't."

Rusty's voice was controlled and far away, and Danny, searching for words he had never had to use let him be, because this was new and raw.

.

"How?"

He hadn't meant to ask, but his mind was screaming and his heart was exploding and Danny was just standing there and he couldn't let him see. After all, nothing mattered anymore.

"Fell from the roof of a seven-storey car park. In Berlin."

The syllables travelled across the room and he saw the broken bones, the shattered head, blood on the sidewalk. Slowly, the image was filled by Danny's quiet words that were repeated again and again in his head, and something was off, something was…

"Fell? But she…That means she…"

His voice didn't work anymore.

"Rus'..."

The words were leaving his mouth and, God, it hurt.

"She jumped?"

"Rus'."

And he stared at the white wall behind his desk and Danny was long gone and Isabel was dead.

.

Night had fallen and they were still in the office. Danny had leaned against the armchair next to him and Rusty, his eyes still fixed on the wall, hadn't moved. When the clock stroke ten, he opened his mouth.

"She wouldn't have."

Danny closed his eyes and nodded because he had been waiting for this moment.

"I'm going to Berlin."

"I'll be right next to you."

Again, Rusty didn't react, and Danny felt something slip away ever so slowly, and then Rusty left the room without even looking at him.


End file.
